If you’ve followed the past few posts you know we’ve already gobbled up some gifts for each other and we’re also being smart, too (we think). Chrissy bought me those breatheyoga sessions and we’re going to use the rest of her allotted dough toward our dinner Saturday at Pane Vino, a cool Italian joint on Water Street in the city. We followed through with our plan to NOT doing anything tonight because we both work in the morning. We’ll have more fun Saturday. As for Chrissy, I got her that small bag/wallet from Kittelberger’s in Webster and plunked down a few more bucks at Stever’s homemade candies on Park Ave. I was really impressed with that place. I got her a chocolate ballerina for just a few dollars - Chrissy grew up as a dancer, eventually working seven years for “Sesame Street Live” — and you’ll see the dark chocolate candy I also got her. Personalizing it took only a few minutes and it’s about the size of a small laptop. Cost of that was less than $6! There was another batch of chocolate too, but it didn’t look as cool as the heart. What – no flowers? I’m stopping on the way home. I like ‘em fresh! Three roses because this is our third Valentine’s Day! (look at the chocolate at left; I just got lucky with them sticking three flowers on there!) We’ll have a quiet dinner with my in-laws before our routine picks back up Friday. I’ve received some great comments from people after doing this blog with Chrissy. Thanks to the folks at herRochester for asking us and to you for following along. I hope you have a good Valentine’s Day, too!(more…)

I know this totally goes against the breathe yoga purchase as part of my gift, but Jeff and I were talking chocolates the other day and then I saw these at CVS. Perfect for him being a sportswriter, right? But, I decided against buying these sports-related boxes. Still, there are plenty of good candy stores in the Rochester area. Homemade stuff, too. Mmmmmm. So, I told Jeff a little about Stevers at 623 Park Ave. in Rochester. He said he’s never been there but planned to go. I hope he does! I’ve also heard good things about Hedonist Artisan Chocolates, 674 South Ave., in Rochester. Do you know of any others I should tell him about?

So the sign outside the store in Webster reads, “Kittelberger Florist,” but if you go inside the expansive shop off Route 250 there is so much more than flowers. The actual name of the business is Kittelberger Florist and Gifts. In fact, that’s where I made my first Valentine’s Day purchase for Chrissy! It’s a small, cloth Vera Bradley case. It’s big enough to hold Chrissy’s phone iPhone and credit cards and money and I’m sure probably a few other items. It cost about half of my $100 allotment, but it’s something she needs and I think she’ll like the design (picture is below). I was really struck at how many different items Kittelberger’s had: cool paintings, wall hangings with catchy phrases, items for your garden (not flowers), jewelry, candles, fake candles (with those flickering lights) that were the size of planters, etc.

It took a little coaxing, but I convinced Jeff last year to try yoga with me. So we went to breatheyoga’s Webster location. It’s convenient for me because it’s right in the same plaza where I work. Jeff wanted to try it because it’s a good change-up to normal trips to the gym and he has had some back problems for a few years. After our first session he was a fan because the knot he had in the lower right part of his back was gone. We have a great instructor at breathe and my sister, Missy, even bought Jeff a yoga mat for Christmas. So, I made my first Valentine’s Day purchase today for him. It was a couple of sessions at breathe, and I still have plenty of money left over to get something else. Would your man try yoga? We actually have to stop ourselves from laughing at each other, at times, because some of the poses are tough to do and they make him wobble.

With Chrissy and I doing this blog, the topic of Valentine’s Day has been a little more common than past years. As a result, I’ve found out lot of my buddies procrastinate. Certain things, you can wait on. Others, you can’t. I’m still finalizing what I’m going to get Chrissy and now maybe getting some tickets to a show at Geva Theatre. I certainly wouldn’t call us the theatre type. We’ve never been there together, but it’s an option. But time’s a wasting … so I better get after it!

Since Jeff doesn’t mind being called ”metrosexual,” – yeah, his buddies have a field day with that – I’m considering getting him some spa services. We’ve done this as a couple before and when his lower back was bothering him last year, I got him a massage. I’m sure there are lots of places around Rochester for this, but I have to admit, I’m biased. Why? Because I work at Scott Miller. We have locations in Pittsford and Webster and have the best massage therapists and aestheticians. What do you think? Is your guy like Jeff? Would you get him a massage? Since he has a golf trip planned this week, he’ll probably come home a little sore, so maybe a massage will be just what he needs.

… and they’re essential for Valentine’s Day. What woman doesn’t want flowers – in some semblance – on V-Day? I don’t think you can go wrong by making flowers part of your gift for your wife or girlfriend. As the whole enchilada? Probably not, unless it’s accompanied by dinner or a gift. Gosh, I remember when it seemed some candy in a heart-shaped box was enough.

Expressions Flowers & Gifts, 420 Merchants Road, Rochester.

You hear commercials all the time for flowers on the radio, but there are plenty of local florists. In a hurry, I go to Wegmans. They usually have a good selection (can’t we say that about everything there?). My go-to florist is hyper-local because it’s right around the corner from where Chrissy and I live. It’s called Expressions Flowers & Gifts, 420 Merchants Road right across the street from Remington’s restaurant. It’s family-owned and I know a little bit about the history of the place. A mother-daughter tandem used to run the place, but the Mom, I believe her name was Nancy, died a few years back. She was always so sweet to me when I came in. I happened to go to the shop a few weeks after she passed. I didn’t know it until that day. Her daughter told me she was thinking of closing the store. Probably just too many memories? I offered some words of encouragement and left not knowing what would happen. Well, I’m happy to report that the store is still open. It’s not going to dazzle folks from the outside, but inside there’s plants and flowers and little stuffed animals and cards. When I drive past during busy times – V-Day, Mother’s Day, etc. – I see the lights on past midnight and know those folks are still working hard. What do you think? Are flowers and roses too cliche in this day and age?

Unless it’s golfing, I’m generally not into outdoor sports. Rock climbing? I’m like George Costanza. I need a boost getting into to bed. Certainly, winter sports aren’t my thing. Just not down with the cold. I could be talked into sledding on a sunny, 25-degree winter day. Maybe I’ll check out what Glacier Ridge, the second-year snow-tubing park in Greece owned and operated by former Rochester Lancers forward and former Rhinos star Doug Miller has to offer. Not sure Chrissy would be too keen on that, though, and certainly not skiing, either. Never tried it when I was a teenager because I was so darned worried if I turned an ankle, then I might miss some time playing on the basketball or baseball team. I’m in my early 40s now and I just can’t see doing the ski thing as a newbie. She’s no ski bunny, either. But, I could see Chrissy and I ice skating. Yes, falling down onto a hard surface, compared to snow on the slopes, has its own set of perils. But I’m pretty sure my rate of speed wouldn’t be that fast, and since Chrissy and I did do the New York City trip thing a couple times and since we did skate beneath the big tree at Rockefeller Center on a relatively warm and drizzly December night in 2010, I’m thinking part of my gift may include some skating time at Manhattan’s Square Park in downtown Rochester. Has anyone out there tried it? Are there good times when it’s not “flooded” with too many kids that’d knock us over? I saw a piece on the TV news during our frigid weather and they have a cozy, little fireplace in the “lodge” next to the rink. We like to stay active, so 30 minutes of circling the ice could be fun. Then again, all we’ve been talking about lately is where to book a beach-type vacation later this year, so I might have to put this skating idea on ice (yeah, that’s right, I write for a living. LOL).

Jeff and I aren’t really big on New Year’s resolutions. Then again, this is only the third new year we’ve experienced together since we met in 2010. So, in late December Jeff suggested that in 2013 we should make a point of going to at least 10 different restaurants in the Rochester area that we never have been to before. So, I’m thinking part of my Valentine’s Day gift will be using some money on our dinner. With Jeff covering sports in the evenings, we always have to make sure something we’ve planned doesn’t conflict with him and a game, be it a high school event or soccer or Syracuse basketball. And since our schedules are a bit crazy and we’d rather be able to sleep in after our big “V-Day Dinner,” we’ve decided to celebrate it the night of Saturday, Feb. 16th instead of Thursday the 14th. So, I’m thinking of calling a restaurant I’ve never been to before but have heard great things about – Pane Vino. It’s downtown just off St. Paul St near the Water Street Music Hall and since we’re both Italians it’ll probably be a winner. I’ve heard the ambience is good, the food is good and even though we’re on a recent kick to eat healthier, some terrific Italian food will be part of a great night! Have you ever been there? Let me know what you think of Pane Vino or please suggest another locally-owned restaurant where you think we could get a fantastic meal. Thanks!

Hello, this is Jeff DiVeronica. I’m the sportswriting half of the couple writing this year’s Valentine’s Day blog. I’ve helped write two other D&C blogs, one about local soccer and another about area high school sports for several years, but this one is special because of who I’m sharing it with …. cue the violins and roses. Our thanks to herRochester.com for asking us to do this and staking us with some dough to spend on each other. I’ll be sharing some of my ideas about what I may get Chrissy and even though she’s far from bashful about telling me what she’d LIKE to have, I have a few curveballs up my sleeve. But please feel free to share any suggestions! We men love that (takes thinking out of the equation for us). I like to think I’m a romantic, though, so here goes nothing … Below is our first video blog.

This year I originally wanted to buy a sentimental gift for my new wife. But I ended up buying a practical gift, and she LOVED it. I bought her a Lululemon yoga outfit from Breathe in Pittsford.

When I first went to the store I was shocked at the price of the yoga clothes. But I was soon educated by a nice sales associate, Halley, who told me all about Lululemon clothes. I soon knew why my wife wanted an outfit so badly. The clothes are really high quality. I picked out some colors that I thought she would like. Breathe made it easy for me and even wrapped the gift up . There is a LuLulemon store in Pittsford actually, and I was informed that any yoga pants bought at breathe could be hemmed for free at the Lululemon store.

Shopping last night was a success! I can’t reveal what I purchased for my wife but will show pictures of the unveiling next week.

I’ve learned a valuable lesson this shopping season. There is no telling when inspiration will strike but it never hurts to listen for it. I will add this to my list of valuable lessons, right after, ‘never get involved in a land war in Asia’.

I finally finished shopping for my mom, and while I won’t reveal what I bought her until after Christmas, I can say that I opted to spend the money on two smaller items rather than one big item. Both items are exactly the sort of thing I was hoping to find: a combination of form and function, handmade (one of them by a local artisan) and purchased at a local small business.

For the first item, I went back to one of the stores I mentioned in my previous blog posts, and I think it’s something my mom will really like. In fact, my wife thought it was such a good idea that she went and got the same thing for her mom.

Well, I can’t believe how popular the idea of a hammock as a gift has been with people. In fact, my boss even asked me where he could purchase business hammocks for the office. If only Rochester had a hammock district like the one in Cypress Creek. I’ve resolved to spend some quality time reseaching who invented the hammock this weekend.

Well, I’m making one last push to complete my Christmas shopping tonight before the bad weather hits over the weekend. I’ll be thinking big, staying positive because nothing can really prepare you for the absolute shopping carnage that I’m expecting this close to Christmas. I’ll show no signs of weakness tonight. I’ll be making quick, decisive decisions. Fear?…is the other guys problem.

With just over a week before Christmas, I’ve only purchased a few gifts. This is a pretty normal mode for me – I’ll be running around from store to store next weekend, trying to find one more gift for someone.

In my last post, I mentioned my wife, Elaine, and I would be going to First Friday at the Hungerford Building. It was the first time I had attended First Friday in Rochester, and it was quite fun – from bands in some studios, to just people watching. We weren’t able to see every studio, but we were able to get to most.

So a lot has changed since I last checked in. I was trying to be sentimental, but I am leaning towards a partical gift that she will love.

In the past week we put a purchase offer on a home, our offer was accepted, and the home inspection went well. Shout out, to Julie Forney and Richard Sarkis at Nothnagle for being awesome agents and helping Meagan and I get a good deal on our first home. We are so happy, but with a new home purchase, I think that buying a practical splurge for Meagan would be better.

Last week’s brow-shopping expedition was successful. Not only did I get a couple of good ideas for my wife, I also purchased two shirts for myself.

I’ve been toying with the idea of getting my wife a hammock for our backyard. It might not sound like much of a gift but during the summer she always comments about how nice it would be to have a hammock in our backyard. Thoughts?

I decided to make a quick shopping stop on my way into work today at the Enchanted Rose Garden in Penfield. The store is in a cute, little house on Penfield Road. It definitely meets my criteria for quick and easy shopping because not only is Penfield Road one of the two ways I generally go to work anyway, but the store is also on the correct side so that I don’t have to make any left turns in traffic.

The store has a wide variety of wares, including jewelry, clothing for all ages, food and food-related products, beauty products and more. And a lot of the items in the store are priced at $20 or less, which, while not crucial for this project, is good for your average shopper looking to get quality presents without breaking the bank.

Well, it’s Friday night and a mere 18 days before Christmas. It’s times like this that I often ask myself, ‘what would a pirate do?’. My wife and I went out to dinner last night and I tried to drop a few subtle hints about what she might like for Christmas. I found to my surprise that she does not like stuffed animals. In the four years that I have known her this subject never came up in conversation. All these years, I assumed that she liked them…not me though, I love Krusty.

Tonight, I’m going to seek some inspiration by doing some brow-shopping. It’s when you shop but you don’t buy anything unless it’s for yourself. Kind of like brunch except that you get a nice piece of canteloupe.

There’s just a different feeling out there as people prepare for the holidays – maybe it’s the “cheeriness” in the air. My family can’t understand why I enjoy decorating the tree, radio stations that play Christmas carols all day, preparing foods, the giving (and receiving) of gifts.

They don’t understand, because I really dislike going shopping at this time of year – I can’t think of a worse thing to do than to jump in the car, only to circle around parking lots like a vulture, trying to find a parking space. Adding 20-30 minutes to my travel time in any area near a mall or shopping center. Then, once you’re out of the car, walking anywhere takes twice as long because you’re one of the herd, moving slowly between storefronts. Then, once you find something, waiting in line for an eternity to pay for that gift.

About this blog

For Valentine's Day, we are putting a different spin on the blog. We have asked one of the guys on the Democrat and Chronicle staff and his wife to shop for each other.

Jeff DiVeronica is a sportswriter for the Democrat and Chronicle and his wife Chrissy is a makeup artist at Scott Miller Salon. Each has been given $100 to spend at local merchants on a gift (or gifts) for each other for Valentine's Day. They will be sharing their shopping efforts in this blog, and looking for your advice.

Please help the out by adding your suggestions for the perfect gifts in the comment section of the blog.

Remember, it's all about sharing local shopping finds and making this a very special Valentine's Day for this couple!